Son remembers wartime hero dad

It was standing room only on Tuesday as about 100 history enthusiasts packed the lecture theatre at Wigram's Air F orce Museum of NZ.

Chris Checketts, son of World War 2 fighter pilot Johnny Checketts, spoke about his Dad's daring escape from France after being shot down.

"All of his life, he's had a great affinity with the French people. And this is what this talk this morning is about".

He said his Dad was extremely grateful to the French Resistance who helped heal his wounds and get him back to England at great personal risk to themselves.

His public speech was the first in a 'short talk' series being run by the museum each month, which is set to continue throughout the year.

"An initiative of the museum is telling stories, and so there's various stories around".

Checketts has been a volunteer guide at the aviation museum for more than 5 years, and said he loves doing it.

On display nearby, was a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine recovered from the New Zealand Ace's Spitfire found buried in France, which he bailed out of in 1943.

"I have a long association with Wigram, it goes right back to my birth. Dad was a volunteer here as well, and was commanding officer of the base".

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand's next 'short talk' on March 8 will host research curator Simon Moody talking about The Canterbury Aviation Company and Sir Henry Wigram.

- By Geoff Sloan, made with the support of NZ On Air